Mechanism for operating flush-tank valves.



J. W. MEAKEB.. MECHANISM FOR OPERATING FLUSH TANK VALVES.

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MECHANISM FOR OPERATING FLUSH TANK VALVES. APPLICATION FILED DEO.1,1913.

1,092,586. Patented Apr. 7, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wi/lmeooeo Z as W WW COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH coqwAsflmu'mN D c rinrrn JOHNW. MEAKER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING- FLUSH-TANK VALVES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1914.

Application filed December 1, 1913. Serial No. 803,973.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JOHN W. MnAKns, a

I citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and, State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements inMechanism for OperatingFlush-Tank Valves, of which the following is a specification, refer onesbeing had therein to the accompanying drawings. I

This invention relates to mechanism for operating fiush valves for waterclosets and the like and to an arrangement thereof that provides forstable support of the parts, the ready assembling and dismountingthereof and positiveness of action, the mechanism being so disposed thatno screws or like fastening means are used in holding the partstogether.

The invention also includes means where by the oscillations of a handlein either direction results in the movement of a valve operating leverto raised or open position, the mechanism being adapted to be mounted onthe inner face of the flushing tank and in a single opening therethroughwhereby it is especially advantageous for use with enamel, porcelain,steel or glass tanks.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a View of a mechanism that embodiesfeatures of the invention mounted in operative position on the innerface of a tank wall, showing the parts with a valve operating "member inclosed position; Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the valve operatingmember brought to open position by a movement of an operating handle inone direction; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the valve operatingmember brought to the open position by oscillation of the handle in theopposite direc tion; Fig. 4 is a view in longitudinal section, partiallybroken away and in elevation of the parts when in closed position; Fig.5 is a view in detail of a guide sleeve; Fig. 6 is a view in detail of acam finger inserted in the guide sleeve, the latter being shown insectionyFig. 7 is. a view in detail showing a valve operating lever inthe sleeve; Fig. 8 is a view in detail showing a cam plate rock armmounted in the sleeve; Fig. 9 is a view in detail of a modification of acam plate; and Fig. 10 is a view showing a modification of themechanism.

Referrin to the drawings, a hollow sleeve 1 has a reduced bearingportion 2 adapted to be secured in an opening through a wall 3 as by asuitable cap nut 4. Preferably a portion of the sleeve as at 5 issquared or otherwise arranged to enter a correspond ingly shaped portionof the opening and lock the parts from turning. A main spindle6 isrotatable in the journal portion 2 of the sleeve as by a suitable handle7. In the preferred construction the spindle is squared or polygonal fora portion of its length and is slightly fiatted as at 8 to permit of itsbeing bent to form a stem for the handle 7. Suitable shoulders 9 limitits movement longitudinally in one direction.

A cam plate rock arm 10 that is apertured to non-rotatably engage theouter portion of the spindle 6, and is otherwise osoillatory in thesleeve 1 has an arm 11 that extends through a guide slot 12 in the outerend of the sleeve. A locking plate 13 is swiveled on a suitable pivotpin 14 of the member 10 to loosely embrace the spindle (3. A finger pull15 projecting beyond the end of the sleeve permits the locking plate 13to be swung into engagement with any one of the number of transverserecesses or slots 16 in the spindle 6 so as to lock and cooperate withthe shoulders 9 to lock the spindle from longitudinal movement, thepoint of engagement being determined by the thickness of the wall 3.

A cam finger 17 is secured in oppositely disposed slots 18 of the sleeve1 parallel to and at an interval to the slots 12, the finger beingapertured to loosely receive the spin dle and having a cam plate stop 19at its outer extremity. Preferably the member 17 is formed or stamped ofsheet material.

A valve operating member or lever 20 extends through and plays in a pairof guide slots 21 in the sleeve that lie parallel to and between theslots 12 and 18. The lever is apertured to loosely encircle and rock onthe stud 6. Its inner end adjacent the stop 19 carries a suitablelateral projection or stud 22 that extends through a cam opening in acam plate 23. A guide slot 24 in the latter is engaged by the stop 19 sothat the plate rides thereon. The arm 11 of the member 10 is pivoted orotherwise articulated to the plate 23 and is disposed in such relationto the handle 7 that movement of the latter in either direction causes acorresponding movement of the plate 23 on the finger,- lever and camplate rock arm 10 are inserted and the spindle thrust home; the lockingplate is then dropped into theadjacent notch of the spindle and theparts 7 are assembled ready for operation, the neces- 'sary connectionhaving of course been made by the addition of the cam plate.

One feature of the device is the positive definition of movement of theseveral parts in their several planes by the guide slots of the sleeveso that the necessary play may be given the articulated member to insureease of movement, there being no need of screws, cotter pins or the liketo hold the parts in alinement.

Another feature is the adjustability of the device to any thickness ofwall because of the engagement of the locking plate to any one of theseries of notches in the spindle; the locking plate feature alsopermitting the withdrawal of the spindle from the sleeve and theconsequent dismantling of the structure Without releasing the sleeve ordetaching it from the tank wall. Conversely the parts are as readilyassembled when the sleeve has once been secured into place.

The movement of the handle in either direction causes the movement ofthe valve operating member to raised or opened posi tion while theweight of the handle and the shape of the operating connections tends tonormally hold the parts with the lever in lowered or closed position.

As shown in Fig. 9, the slot of the cam plate may be merely a straightnotch 27. And, as indicated in Fig. 10, the sleeve 1 may carry a memberwith a cam stop or lug 28 oppositely disposed to the corresponding partof the other arrangement with. a cam plate 29 likewise reversed andadapted to reciprocate a stud 30 on the valve operating lever 31.

Obviously, changes in the details of construction may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention and I do not care to limitmyself to any particular form or arrangement of parts.

What I claim is 1. Mechanism for operating a flushing tank valvecomprising a sleeve adapted to be secured to the inner face of a'tankwall in an opening therethrough and provided with transverse guide slotsnear the inner end, a rock arm member oscillating in the sleeve and in aslot thereof, a valve operating lever oscillating in the sleeve andslots thereof,.a manually operable spindle extending through the sleeveand engaging the rock arm member, and means articulating the rock armmember to the lever to move the latter to open position when the spindleis turned in either direction.

2. Mechanism for operating a flushing tank valve comprising a sleeveadapted to be secured to the inner face of a tank wall in an openingtherethrough and provided with transverse slots near the inner end, arock arm member oscillating in the sleeve and in a slot thereof, avalv'e'operating lever oscillating in the sleeve and slots thereof, amanually operable spindle extending through the sleeve and engaging therock arm member, means in the sleeve detachably locking with the spindleand holding the latter from longitudinal movement, and meansarticulating the rock arm member to the lever tomove the lattertoopenposition when the spindle is-turned in either direction. 4 7

3.- Mechanism for operatinga flushing tank valve comprising a sleeveadapted to be secured to the inner face of a tank wall in an openingtherethrough and provided with transverse guideslots near the inner end,a rock arm member oscillating in the sleeve and in a. slot thereof, avalve operating lever oscillating in'the sleeve andislots thereof, amanually operable spindle 6Xt6I1Cl-' ing through the sleeve and engagingthe rock arm member, and a cam plate reciprocated by the rock arm memberand operatively connected to the sleeve and lever to move the latter toopen position when the spindle is moved in either direction.

4. Mechanism for operating a flushing tankvalve comprising a sleeveadapted to be secured to the inner face of a tank wall in an openingtherethrough and provided with transverse guide slots near the innerend, a rock arm member oscillating in the sleeve and in a slot thereof,a valve operating lever oscillatory in the sleeve and slots thereof, amanually operable spindle extending through the sleeve and engaging therock arm member, means in the sleeve detachably looking with the spindleand holding the latter from longitudinal movement, and a cam platereciprocated by the rock arm member and operatively connected to thesleeve and lever to move the latter to open position when the spindle ismoved in either direction. I V V V 5. Mechanism for operating a flushingtank valve comprising'a sleeve adapted to be secured to the inner faceof a tank wall in an opening therethrough and. provided ing leveroscillatory. in the sleeve and slots; thereof, a manually operablespindle ex tending through the sleeve and engaging the rock arm member,a latch member on the rock arm member adapted to engage any one of aseries of recesses in the spindle, and means articulating the rock armmember to the lever to move the latter to open position When the spindleis turned in either direction.

6. Mechanism for operating a flushing tank valve comprising a sleeveadapted to be secured to the inner face of a tank Wall in an openingtherethrough and provided with transverse guide slots near the innerend, a rock arm member oscillating in the sleeve and in a slot thereof,a valve operating lever oscillatory in the sleeve and slots thereof, amanually operable spindle eX- tending through the sleeve and engagingthe rock arm member, a latch member on the rock arm member adapted toengage any one of a series of recesses in the spindle, and a cam platereciprocated by the rock arm member and operatively connected to thesleeve and lever to move the latter to open position When the spindle ismoved in either direction.

7. Mechanism for operating a flushing tank valve comprising a sleeveadapted to be secured on the inner face of a tank Wall in an openingtherethrough, and provided With sets of guide slots, a cam finger in thesleeve extending from one of the slots, a rock arm member oscillatory inslots of the sleeve, a manually operable spindle extending through thesleeve and engaging the rock arm, a valve operating lever journaled inthe sleeve to oscillate through slots thereof, and a cam plate themotion of Which is defined by the cam finger, the plate connecting therock arm and lever and moving the latter to open position When thespindle is moved in either direction.

8. Mechanism for operating a flushing tank valve comprising a sleeveadapted to be secured on the inner face of a tank Wall in an openingtherethrough and provided With sets of guide slots, a cam finger in thesleeve extending from one of the slots, a rock arm member oscillatory inslots of the sleeve, a manually operable spindle extending through thesleeve and engaging the rock arm, a latch plate on the rock arm memberadapted to engage the spindle detachably and hold it from movinglongitudinally, a valve operating lever ournaled in the sleeve tooscillate through slots thereof, and a cam plate the motion of which isdefined by the cam finger, the plate connecting the rock arm and leverand moving the latter to open position When the spindle is moved ineither direction, the spindle being WithdraWable from the sleeve androck arm When disengaged by the latch plate.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN WV. MEAKER.

Witnesses:

C. R. STIGKNEY, A. M. Donn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

